The first Passover, the Last Supper, and the Lord’s Supper today
The first Passover
When did the Jews first celebrate the Passover?
Read Exodus 12. In which month did the Passover occur?
On which day was a lamb picked out?
What were the two requirements of the lamb? (v 5)
(As years went by, it became the custom to show the lamb to a priest and have it officially declared as without defect.)
On which day was the lamb slaughtered?
Since they followed a lunar calendar, what would always be true of the 14th of the month?
The lamb was normally not fed from the 10th to the 14th, allowing time for its body to cleanse itself of food that had been eaten. Why was this a logical practice?
Most Jews today celebrate Passover by slaughtering the lamb in the afternoon of the 14th, and eating it in the evening. This means they are actually celebrating Passover on the 15th of Nisan, since evening marks the beginning of a new day. (The Concordia study Bible assumes Jesus did it this way.) This appears to be a change that occurred after the time of Jesus. For this study, we will assume that this is not how God meant these words in Exodus 12 to be understood, but that the original practice was to slaughter the lamb immediately after sundown and celebrate the Passover at the start of Nisan 14. And we assume this is how it was done at Jesus’ time.
What began on the 15th day? Lev 23:4-8
Read Ex 12:14-16. Since the Passover was eaten with unleavened bread, it became the Jewish custom to search the house for yeast before noon on Nisan 13, so that there was no yeast in the house for the celebration or for the next seven days. The entire eight days became known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, or the Feast of Passover (Luke 22:1).
In the original Passover, how many items were mentioned as part of the ceremony?
As years went by, four cups of warm red wine (a reminder of the lamb’s blood) became a part of the ceremony, serving charoseth (a tasty apple/fig/nut/cinnamon paste meant to remind them of the mortar between the bricks they had to make in Egypt), as well as questions by the youngest child, a bowl of salt water (representing the tears they shed in Egypt), a hard-boiled egg, an empty chair and other details.
Why originally unleavened bread (matzo)?
What did leavened bread (chametz) come to signify? (Cf. Matt 16:6,12)
Why bitter herbs (maror)?
What restrictions were there about who could celebrate the Passover? Ex 12:43-49
What restrictions were there about eating the lamb? Ex 12:9,10,46
What if a person had become ceremonially unclean at the time of Passover? Num 9:1-14
What had been true about the Passover and the forty years of wandering in the desert? Josh 5:1-12
How would you roast a whole lamb, if it still had its innards, and no bone was broken?
The Last Supper
Since the Jews followed a lunar calendar, and the Last Supper occurred on what we call Thursday evening, this was the 14th of Nisan. That makes the 10th of Nisan (the day the lambs were selected) beginning on Sunday evening, and going all daylight Monday. What happened on Monday that was significant? Mark 11:1-19
At the time of Jesus, it is estimated that Jerusalem had a population of 600,000. At Passover time, the population grew to 2,000,000.
What did people do in the days leading up to the Passover? John 11:55
The Passover ritual was led by a senior member of the group that celebrated it together, usually the father of a family. On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus led his disciples in the celebration.
What did Jesus do before the meal began? John 13:1-11
If we assume Jesus followed the traditional way of celebrating the Passover, he began by ceremonially washing his hands. Jesus was not known for following traditions exactly, however. Also, the earliest writings about how the Passover was celebrated come from rabbis who lived after Jesus lived. We do not know if Jews at Jesus’ time celebrated exactly as the earliest writings we have.
The Passover celebration began with Jesus praying similar to this prayer: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine. . . . And you, O Lord our God, have given us festival days for joy, this feast of the Unleavened Bread, the time of our deliverance in remembrance of the departure from Egypt. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to enjoy this season.”
The first cup of wine is poured, and this verse from Ex 6:6a is recited: “I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.” The wine is drunk.
Bitter herbs, usually lettuce, are dipped in salty water and passed around the table. A second glass of wine is poured.
The youngest person (John?) asks “Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we eat leavened or unleavened bread, but this night only unleavened bread.
On all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but this night only bitter herbs. Why do we dip the herbs twice?
On all other nights we eat meat roasted, stewed, or boiled, but on this night why only roasted meat?
Jesus now explained the significance of the lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread.
Psalm 113 and 114 are sung.
Jesus prayed similar to this prayer: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine. . . . Ex 6:6b is recited: “I will deliver you from their bondage”
Everyone would ceremonially wash his hands.
The lamb, the charoseth, and the bread (matzoth) are served. This prayer is prayed over the bread: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments, and commanded us to eat unleavened bread.”
Jesus breaks a piece of bread off the matzoth, dips it in the charoseth, and gives the piece to a disciple. He may have done this for each disciple all around the table, or he may have passed the bowl around (Mark 14:20) and they dipped their bread themselves. But what did Jesus announce to his disciples at this time? John 13:18,21
How did Jesus identify his betrayer? John 13:26
In doing this, Jesus also fulfilled Psalm 41:9.
Probably Judas was sitting next to Jesus on one side, we know John was also next to Jesus on the other side. (v 23)
How do we know some of the disciples weren’t paying close attention to what was going on? John 13:27-30
We assume Judas got up and left before the next part.
It was at this point that Jesus broke from the Passover ceremony and made what announcement? Matt 26:26
But his disciples did not understand.
The Passover meal was eaten, the second cup of wine is drunk during the eating of the meal. When the meal was finished, a third cup of wine was poured. Any uneaten bread was divided up and distributed. This prayer was prayed: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments, and commanded us to eat unleavened bread.”
Then everyone prays: “The name of the Lord be blessed from now until eternity. Let us bless him of whose gifts we have partaken: Blessed be our God of whose gifts we have partaken, and by whose goodness we exist.” “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine. . . .”
Jesus recited Ex 6:6c: “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.”
Before drinking the third cup of wine, Jesus then announced, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” The third cup is drunk. We do not know if Jesus passed around a common cup, or if each had his individual cup.
The phrase “new covenant” is a reference to Jeremiah 31:31-34, a section of prophecy about the New Testament age which is very similar in wording to language used in wedding vows.
The fourth cup of wine is poured for everyone. Jesus prayed this prayer: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who has created the fruit of the vine. . . .”
Jesus recited Exodus 6:6-7: “Then I will take you as my people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”
Jesus comforted his disciples with the words of John 14 at this time. Psalms 115 to 118 are now sung. (See Ps 118:22) After singing, Jesus and the eleven remaining disciples left the upper room and starting walking to the Mount of Olives. (Matt 26:30)
Although Jesus celebrated the Passover, then was crucified, he was still crucified on the Passover day, why?
The lambs were to be slaughtered at twilight (Ex 12:6). In a way, it can also be said that Jesus was killed at twilight on Passover day. How did this occur? (Matt 27:45)
Not only was Friday Passover day, this year it was the day before a Sabbath, meaning it also had which name? John 19:31
Why does John say the next day was a “special Sabbath?” Lev 23:6,7
Saturday evening began the 16th of Nisan, which had what other name? Lev 23:9-14
Sunday morning it was still Nisan 16. What does Paul say of Jesus? 1 Cor 15:20
What is one reason we know the Passover is no longer commanded to be celebrated? (Hint: 1 Cor 7:19)
Why is there no longer a reason to celebrate the Passover? Heb 7:27
At the Last Supper, after Jesus said the unleavened bread was his body, and the cup of wine was his blood, he said “do this in remembrance of me.” This is similar to the Passover, which was done as a commemoration of the Exodus. (Ex 12:14)
The Passover, like many Old Testament ceremonies, pictures Jesus, or has a New Testament parallel. Explain each of these:
The lamb was male, and without defect. (John 8:46; Luke 23:14,15)
The lamb is roasted whole, not cut up. (John 19:36)
The lamb is suspended above the cooking fires.
The lamb is eaten, as a fellowship meal.
Before the Passover was celebrated, all yeast was removed from the home. 1 Cor 5:6-8
Only circumcised men (and believing women) could eat the Passover.
Blood from the Passover lamb was put on the doorposts.
The people stayed inside their blood-stained houses all night during the first Passover.
The doorframes are places where everyone (not just the angel of death) could see the blood. (Matt 5:14-16)
Because God rescued his people with the Passover, he considered them to be his possession. Ex 6:6-7
(1 Cor 6:19-20, 7:23)
The Lord’s Supper today
How many items are essential for the Lord’s Supper? ______Which item from the original Passover is without a corresponding item in the Lord’s Supper?
The priests often examined the Passover lamb to make sure it was without defect and could be used. What do we examine before partaking of the Lord’s Supper? 1 Cor 11:28
Most Protestant denominations make the logical decision that when Jesus said “This is my body” and “This is my blood”, he really meant “This bread represents my body” and the wine represents his blood. Only Lutherans and Catholics believe his body and blood are really there.
Our understanding of the Lord’s Supper comes from the words Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Cor 10:14-22 and 1 Cor 11:17-34.
We believe the bread and wine are more than representations of our Lord’s body and blood. What does Paul call eating and drinking the Supper in 1 Cor 10:16?
If we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in a non-serious way, what can we be guilty of? 1 Cor 11:27
When we eat the bread and drink the cup, what should we recognize about what we are doing? 1 Cor 11:29
Apparently the Corinthians were not taking the Lord’s Supper seriously. Doing so meant they were eating and drinking judgment on themselves. What evidence does Paul cite that resulted from this attitude? (v 30)
It seems very clear from scripture that our Lord’s body and blood truly are present in the Holy Supper. How this can be we understand by faith, not by sight. Our understanding is different from the Roman Catholic understanding, however. They teach that the priest changes the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood (transubstantiation) and it is no longer bread and wine. Furthermore, it never changes back. But it cannot be thrown out, as it is the body of Christ. Extra bread and wine are consumed by the priests. Lutherans, however, reuse the bread, and pour out the wine that was in the common cup.
Lutherans teach that the body and blood are truly present during the proper celebration of the sacrament, not before or after. We assume it becomes the body and blood at the start of the sacrament’s celebration, and ceases to be his body and blood when the elements are put away.
We also practice a “close” celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Just like the Passover was only open to the circumcised (Ex 12:43-45), the Lord’s Supper is only open to Christians. As Lutherans, we use 1 Cor 10:17 to teach that only those who are united in a common understanding of doctrine (one loaf) should celebrate communion together. Therefore, we should not celebrate communion while visiting a non-Lutheran church. Plus, because in our day there are many churches which call themselves Lutheran but do not hold to a scriptural understanding of various doctrines, we should not celebrate communion even in a Lutheran church unless we are sure all of its teachings agree with scripture.
The reverse situation is not as clearly stated in scripture. We are told to “keep away from” those who cause divisions contrary to the teachings of scripture (Rom 16:17), but we are not told to push away those who come to us. We should do all we can to instruct visitors to our church that the body and blood of Jesus is present in this sacrament, that God wants everyone to recognize this, and that people should examine themselves before communing. A pastor who has spoken with visitors who desire the Lord’s Supper and is convinced that they understand this sacrament properly, may wish to offer to them also the forgiveness of sins and strengthening of faith that comes from this meal.